Knitting machines



Feb. 1965 w. P. LIMBACHER ETAL 3,

KNITTING MACHINES Filed D90- 31, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 RICHARD F YACKEL Feb. 2, 1965 w. P. LIMBACHER ETAL 3,

KNITTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 31, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ila coo -:Iololo 000001:

FIG.Z

INVENT RS WILLARD P LRMBACF ER RICHARD F YACKEL BY ATTO RNEY Feb. 2, 1965 w. P. LIMBACHER ETAL 3,157,940

KNITTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 31, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 L L.A

INVENTORI WILLARD P LIMBACHER RICHARD F HACKEL A TORNEY United States Patent 3,167,940 KNITTING MACHINES Willard P. Limbacher, Horseheads, and Richard F. Yackel, Syracuse, N.Y., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Tompkins Brothers Company, Inc., a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 31, 1962, Scr. No. 248,759 6 Claims. (Cl. 66-151) This invention relates to knitting machines, and more particularly to the take up reel mechanism for such machines.

In knitting'machines wherein the needle cylinder revolves, it has been the practice to provide a take up reel and reel frame which freely revolves, in response to the rotary drag thereon from the rotation of the tubular knit fabric emanating from the needle cylinder, and from the rotation of the reel frame, the take up mechanism derives its power. With increase in size of the needle cylinder to produce tubular knit fabric of greater circumference,

the weight of the take up reel may increase to such a value, as to unduly tax the torque transmitting power of the tubular knit fabric coming from the needle cylinder. In addition, as the weight of the reel increases, the torque load imposed upon the tubular knit fabric varies considerably, and may thus affect the adjustments necessarily associated with the needles and their knitting function.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a positive drive for the take up reel both as to its rotation with the needle cylinder, as well as its take up, whereby to eliminate the variable load heretofore subjected upon the length of tubular knit fabric disposed between the needle cylinder and the take up reel.

A further object of the invention is provision of means for supporting the take up reel frame during its rotation from a rigid circular track whereby the load on the driving mechanism is minimized, and the size or weight of the reel has little effect on the machine operation. Thus, a greater length of knit fabric can be reeled up and the frequence of removing reels of knit fabric is substantially reduced.

A still further object of the invention is directed toward providing a take up reel support frame which is suspended from the machine frame, and which may be locked against rotation during removal of a reel to protect the drive mechanism thereof.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an electrical interlock such that when the reel support frame is locked, the operation of the knitting machine is prevented.

The above and other objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is expressly understood that the drawings are employed for purposes of illustration only and are not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of the knitting machine, with its take up reel in position for unloading;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevational view of the knitting machine with parts broken away;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the circular track for supporting the take up reel frame;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the left hand take up reel frame lock, in locking position; and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary end view with parts in section and parts broken away, of the reel frame lock.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a knitting machine having a main bed frame 20 supported on legs 22, and on which is supported a knitting needle cylinder 24 which rotates on a vertical axis past one or more knitting elements 26, which are supplied from cones 28. The needle cylinder 24 is driven from beneath from a main drive shaft 30 through a bevel gear 32 and mating pinion 34 as will be understood in the art. The shaft 30 is driven by a chain drive 36 from a reduction gear 38 and motor 40. As will be understood in the art, as the needle cylinder revolves past each of the knitting elements 26, a knit course is effected, and the tubular knit fabric 42 is drawn upwardly from the needle cylinder, as fast as it is produced.

Such tubular knit fabric progresses from a cylindrical tubular shape as it leaves the needle cylinder to a flat feelable form, an oval encompassing tension ring 44, and an oval spreader frame 46 disposed within the fabric being provided for the purpose. The flat tubular knit fabric may pass between the spaced rods 45 and 47, and thence between and over friction surfaced rolls 48 and 50, which are driven at a rate corresponding to the rate of production of the knit fabric. The knit fabric is there after reeled upon a reel shaft 52, and the reel of finished knit fabric accumulates in an ever enlarging spiral reel of fabric as is indicated at 54. Such reel is supported upon the friction surfaced roll 50, and derives its rotation therefrom.

In knitting machines for producing carpet fabric of paper yarn for example, the length of the reel may be 'as great as eight feet, and a full reel of knit fabric may weigh as much as a thousand pounds, and the handling of a full reel necessitates the use of power lift apparatus. In order to support the gradually increasing weight of such a reel, there is provided an overhead reel support frame 60 of rectangular configuration. The frame'60 is supported from the bed frame on spaced pairs of end columns 62 and 64, and 66 and 68 rising from brackets 79 and 72 on the bed plate 20. Rigidly supported from the beams 74 and 72 of such frame and from transverse channel members 74 and 76, is a circular angle iron track 78 having a circular track flange 80, the track being disposed coaxially with respect to the needle cylinder 24. Suspended from said track, by means of roller brackets 82 and 84, and track rollers 86, is a reel frame, comprising a transverse I beam 88, and depending reel hanger members and 92 at the opposite ends thereof.

The transverse members 74 and 76 are provided with central cross members 94 and 96, disposed on either side of the axis of the track and cylinder, which carry upper and lower bearing plates 98 and 100 in which is journalled a drive shaft 102 for the reel flame beam 88, the shaft being affixed at its lower end to said beam at its center, The shaft N2 serves to drive the reel frame, in synchronism with the needle cylinder 24, and preserves the diametral location of the beam 88 in respect to the circular supporting track 78 and track flange 80.

The shaft 102 is driven at the same speed as the needle cylinder from the drive shaft 30, through bevel gears 104, which drive shaft 106, journalled as at 108 and 110, and bevel gears 112, which in turn drive shaft 114, journalled as at 116 and 118 in bearings supported on the transverse member 120 and crOSs members 94 and 96 of the frame 60. The shaft 114 drives the bevel gear 122 affixed to the shaft 102 through the mating pinion 124 affixed to shaft 114. The ratios of the bevel gear 122 and pinion 124, and the cylinder drive bevel gear 32 and its pinion 34, are alike, and the bevel gears 112 and 104 are of a l-l ratio, whereby the reel frame beam 88 rotates on its vertical axis with the needle cylinder 24, at the same angular velocity.

On the underside of the bearing plate 100, is a fixed bevel gear 126,- fromwhich'reel feed shafts 128 and130,

journalled in bearings such as 132 affixed to the beam 88, are driven by mating pinions 134 and 136, the drive of such shafts 128 and 130 being derived from the rotation of the reel framebeamz88 in respect. to the. fixed bevel gear 126." The oppositeends of the shafts 128 and 130. are provided with eccentrics 140 and 142.which reciprocate ratchet feed rods 144and 146 which in turn drive the feed roll 50, step bystep, through ratchet'drives 147 havinga ratchet and ratchet gear, such'as 148 and 150.- The feed roll 48 is driven from the roll '50 through mating pinions152 and 154 of like diameter. The ratchet feed .eccentrics maybe disposed. 180 degrees. apart so that the roll 50 is alternately advanced by the ratchet feed at one end, and then by the feed at the other end.

a The reel shaft 52 has its ends reduced in diameterv as at.53, and the ends rotate in vertical guide ways 160 and 162' disposed on the inside faces of the reel frame'hanger members 90 and 92. Such guide ways permit the shaft 52 to rise, as the reel'of fabric 54 increases in diameter, and the upper end of the guide ways are open so that the fork of a lift truck, when projected beneath the exposed ends of the shaft 52, may lift the shaft and reel upward in the guide ways beyondthe upper ends thereof, whence the reel54 and its shaft 52 may be removed from themachine, after severing the tubular knit fabric, as for example above the friction roll 50. V

Since placing the arms of a lift truck fork beneath the shaft 52 to remove a full reel entails possible danger of the arms engaging one or the other of the hanger members 90 and 92,.which would strain the drive shafts '30,

106, 114 and :102, and the bevel gears thereon, it is desirable to provide locking means to rigidly secure the reel frame with respect to the support columns 62, 64, and 66' and 68, during the removal of a reel of knit fabric from the reel frame formedby the beam 88, and hanger members 90 and-92. For this purpose, the'lower ends of the hanger members, wherein the rolls 50 and 48 are journalled are'each provided with a depending projecting tongue 170. On each pair of columns 62 and 64, and 66- and 68 are affixed transverse angle irons 172 and 174.- Each angleiron has depending bearing brackets 176 and 178 in which are pivoted=rock shafts 180 and 182; Each. rock shaft hasa forked arm 186 rigidly affixed thereto, and disposed midway between the columns 62, 64, and 66' and '68 respectively. The arms 186' are adapted-to be rotated from -'a depending release or unlocked position as shown in FIGURE 1, or FIGURE 2, to-ahinwardly horizontally extending position, in which the forked end 187 embraces the tongue 170,the rock shaft 180 being rotated clockwise for this purpose, while the rock shaft 182 is rotated counterclockwise for. this purpose, as viewed in FIGURE 1.

Eachrock shaft has alever arm 190 connected by a link 192 that extends to a lever arm 194 on a rock shaft 196'having a hand crank 198, and which is pivoted in a bearing'bracket such as 200 afiixed. to one of the columns such-as 66. An overcenter spring 204 extending from a bracket 206 to the pivot 208, acts to hold the rock shaft in either end position. A microswitch 202 mounted on eachof the angle irons1'72 and-174, is adapted to be engaged and its circuit closed by the respective arms 190 when rocked to-theposition shown in FIGURE;1, in-

which position the reel frame is free to rotate about'its vertical-axis. The two micro switches 202 are in a series circuit with the motor 40, or its control relay, such that the motor may only run when both switches are closed. a

When it is desired to-rernove and of finished knit fabric from thereelframe guides 160 and 162, the machine is stopped when the beam 88 is'in the position shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, and thereafter the forked members 186 are rocked into locking engagement with the tongues 170, to-rigidly hold the frame member 88 and dependingarms 9,0 and 92,rigid,- so as to avoid the possible risk of straining the drive shafts and gearing,- which cause the rotation of the roll cylinder rotation.

The knitting machine shown may be of standard form so far as the knitting mechanism is concerned, and for example as shown in Carhart Patents 2,091,467 and 2,136,934, and while reference to knit fabric of paper yarn has been referredto as an example, other yarns may be employed as desired. The apparatus for positively driving the reel frame is obviouslyapplicable to knitting machines in general of the rotating needlecylinder type irrespective of the yarnused. Since. thereels of finished fabric, regardless of weight, are supported from the track, and independently driven from the power driving the machine, all strain on the needle cylinder forsuch'd rive is eliminated. Although two rolls such as 48"and50 are normally'used to support the reel, the weight thereof may be so great as to render it desirable to employ a third or even'a fourth roll.

While a single modification ofthe invention has been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Asvarious changes in the construction and arrangement maybe made without departing from the spirit of the invention,;as will be apparent to those skilled in theart, reference will be had frame to follow the needle to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A knitting machine comprising a base, a rotary needle. cylinder,-disposed above said base, drive means hanger frame disposed beneath said track, and having support rollers-riding on said track, reel hanger drive means driven from said base drive means for rotating said reel hangerfr'ame with said needle cylinder at the same angular velocity, a take up reel on said. hanger, take up reel drive'means carried by said hanger, and driven by the rotation of said hanger, locking means independent of said drive means mounted on said support frame and cooperating with means onsaid hanger frame for-locking, at will, the hanger frame against rotation relative to the suppont frame, and means operable by said locking means to deenergize said motorwhen in hanger frame locking position. a

.2. A knitting machine comprising abase, a rotary needle' cylinder, disposed above said base, drive means in said base for positivelydriving theneedle cylinder, a take up reel support frame mounted on said base having av circular track disposed above said needle cylinder and ooaxial'therewith, a take up reel hanger frame dis posed beneath said track, and having support rollers riding on said track, reel hanger drive means driven from said base drive means for rotating said reel hanger frame with said needle cylinder at the same angular velocity, a take up reel on said hanger,-take up reel drive means carried by said hanger, and driven by the rotation of said hanger, locking means independent of said drive means mounted on said support frame and cooperating with means on said hanger frame for locking, at will, the hanger frame against rotation relative to the support frame.

3. A knitting machine comprising a base, a rotary needle cylinder, disposed above said base, drive means in said base for positively driving v the needle cylinder, a take up reel support frame mounted on said base having a circular track disposed above said needle cylinder and coaxial therewith, a take up reel hanger frame disposed beneath said track, and having support rollers riding on said track, reel hanger drive means driven from said base drive means for rotating said reel hanger frame with said needle cylinder at the same angular'velocity, a take up reel on said hanger, take up reel drive means 5. carried by said hanger, and driven by the rotation of said hanger.

4. A knitting machine comprising a base, a rotary needle cylinder, disposed above said base, drive means in said base for positively driving the needle cylinder, a take up reel support frame disposed above said base having a circular track disposed above said needle cylin der and coasial therewith, a take up reel hanger frame disposed beneath said track, and having support rollers riding on said track, reel hanger drive means driven from said base drive means for rotating said reel hanger frame with said needle cylinder at the same angular velocity, a take up reel on said hanger, take up reel drive means carried by said hanger, and driven by the rotation of said hanger.

5. A knitting machine comprising a base, a rotary needle cylinder, disposed above said base, drive means in said base for positively driving the needle cylinder, a take up reel support frame mounted on said base having a circular track disposed above said needle cylinder and coaxial therewith, a take up reel hanger frame disposed beneath said track, and having support rollers riding on said track, and reel hanger drive means driven from said base drive means for rotating said reel hanger frame with said needle cylinder at the same angular velocity.

6. A knitting machine comprising a base, a rotary needle cylinder, disposed above said base, drive means in said base for positively driving the needle cylinder, a take up reel support frame disposed above said base having a circular track disposed above said needle cylinder and coaxial therewith, a take up reel hanger frame disposed beneath said track, and having support rollers riding on said track, and reel hanger drive means driven from said base drive means for rotating said reel hanger frame with said needle cylinder at the same angular velocity.

References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 216,655 Carr June 17, 1879 2,329,618 Ingalls Sept. 14, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS 130,145 Russia Mar. 12, 1959 

1. A KNITTING MACHINE COMPRISING A BASE, A ROTARY NEEDLE CYLINDER, DISPOSED ABOVE SAID BASE, DRIVE MEANS INCLUDING A DRIVE MOTOR IN SAID BASE AND POSITIVELY DRIVING THE NEEDLE CYLINDER, A TAKE UP REEL SUPPORT FRAME MOUNTED ON SAID BASE HAVING A CIRCULAR TRACK DISPOSED ABOVE SAID NEEDLE CYLINDER AND COAXIAL THEREWITH, A TAKE UP REEL HANGER FRAME DISPOSED BENEATH SAID TRACK, AND HAVING SUPPORT ROLLERS RIDING ON SAID TRACK, REEL HANGER DRIVE MEANS DRIVEN FROM SAID BASE DEIVE MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID REEL HANGER FRAME WITH SAID NEEDLE CYLINGER AT THE SAME ANGULAR VELOCITY, A TAKE UP OF REEL ON SAID HANGER, TAKE UP REEL DRIVE MEANS CARRIED BY SAID HANGER, AND DRIVEN BY THE ROTATIION OF SAID HANGER, LOCKING MEANS INDEPENDENT OF SAID DRIVE MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT FRAME AND COOPERATING WITH MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID HANGER FRAME FOR LOCKING, AT WILL, THE HANGER FRAME AGAINST ROTATION RELATIVE TO THE SUPPORT FRAME, AND MEANS OPERATIVELY BY SAID LOCKING MEANS TO DEENERGIZE SAID MOTOR WHEN IN HANGER FRAME LOCKING POSITION. 